IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in The Truman Show, with every aspect of your reality crafted by a team of filmmakers? Showrunner and executive producer Cody Heller was tasked with creating just such a world for the star of Jury Duty; an entirely fake, month-long court case built from scratch and performed live for the unaware protagonist. Heller shares the wildly creative tricks her team used to keep up with the chaos of real life, and discusses how did Jury Duty managed to be a fascinating social experiment and a goofy hysterical comedy all at the same time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Toolkit we dive deep into a single episode of the Netflix hit series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. The episode in question, Silenced, is one of the best hours of TV this year, and director Paris Barclay walks us through the incredible craft that made this story of a black, gay, deaf man so transporting and emotionally resonant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is everything...because today we are talking Barbie! Both writer/director Greta Gerwig AND editor Nick Houy join us this week, and if you've seen the movie you know how crucial editing was to pulling it all off. The movie is a big swing, a wild ride, and a surprisingly personal and intimate project for something branded with one of the biggest names in the world. Greta walks us through how all that is possible, and the pair explore how they think about assembling stories not just on Barbie, but across their collaborations on Lady Bird and Little Women. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the greatest series in the history of TV, Justified, is back on the air with a haunting new subtitle. We talk this week with showrunner, writer, and director of Justified: City Primeval, Michael Dinner. He explores the reasons the show is making a triumphant return, what it was like coming back to a career-defining project after many years, and how this season was adapted from unexpected source material. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've seen Across the Spider-Verse you won't be surprised to learn such a complex film took three directors to helm. One of those directors, Kemp Powers, joins us to explain how they pulled it off with the same grace, ambition, and heart that defines the spider-people at the center of the story. Kemp breaks down the experience of essentially "shooting" the movie for four years, and how even when directing a crew of thousands he managed to work in personal inspiration from his own life. After you listen you'll want to run right out to the theater to catch all the incredible details Kemp points out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of our favorite things to do on Toolkit is speak with rising stars in the world of directing, and we got to do just that this week with Celine Song, whose debut film 'Past Lives' is landing firmly in the top of most "best of the year so far" lists. She explores how she tackled challenges unique to this particular love story, especially the careful presentation of language. Song wrote the script in two languages and sought an unusual level of control over subtitles in order to protect the nuances of the love story, just two of many reasons 'Past Lives' feels both deeply personal and incredibly confident in its craft. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The creator and star of one of the most visually inventive and challenging shows of the year sits down with us this week to discuss the rich culture (and pop-culture) that informs the project. It's a series you have to see to fully comprehend, and Terence provides fascinating insights into how such an ambitious project came to life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Helming any superhero blockbuster is a massive balancing act, and few filmmakers had as much to bring together as Andy Muschietti for this multiverse-hopping epic. Hear him explain how he approached the legendary iconography of Batman (Batmen?) and the impressive technique used to capture his star's dual performance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stunt coordinator turned director Sam Hargrave joins us to walk through his process making this satisfying sequel. He shares his thoughts on why so many stunt performers have recently become some of our best action directors, and explains how his close collaboration with star Chris Hemsworth allows for moving moments between the action (as well as incredible feats like 21 minute long take fight scenes). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's an unusually zany quest for the holy grail on today's Toolkit as we sit down with the co-writers and creators of Mrs. Davis. They discuss the challenges of balancing wild comedic antics with some truly deep questions about religion and technology, and how a special blend of influences from Looney Tunes to Quentin Tarantino and Monty Python helped it all come to life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices